Captain Shratt shrugged off all suggestion of getting a top Broadway director to handle the second assignment, that of directing the participants of the play. So Jules Barnes directed the military, the industry, the sciences, in their performances which would take place when the adversary would come face to face with the earth's genius.
Barnes and Shratt went from government to government by jet, meeting the brains of each power, directing and coaching.
"Finished," Captain Shratt said, leaning back in his seat as the jet took off for Washington.
"What if it doesn't come off?" Barnes said.
"Don't think about it."
Barnes felt his stomach jump toward his back as the ship hummed its way towards the heavens. He still hadn't gotten used to the jets. When the plane leveled off, he said: "We could always capture the Martians, hold them as hostages."
"Do you possibly think they hold as great a price on life as we do? Their philosophy is as different from ours as night and day."
"You seem to know an awful lot about them."
"Our men are listening in on every conversation that passes between their ship and Mars. We've learned a lot."